Determinants Of Urban Households’ Food Security Status, And Their Copping Strategies In Ejere Town, West Shoa Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

Abstract

In Ethiopia, food security and have traditionally focused on rural areas. Recently, the issue of urban food security has been attracting attention in global policy debates. However, limited studies are found in the study areas that explain the status of household food security and the major determinant factors. The objectives of this study were to determine the status of urban households’ food security, analyze the determinants of food security statues, and investigate the coping strategies used by urban households in the study area. The study was conducted from June to August 2023. Overall, 148 households from three urban Kebeles were chosen using a simple random sampling technique. Both primary and secondary data were gathered. Descriptive statistics and economic regression models were used. To identify the factors that influence the food security of urban households, a binary logistic regression model was developed. More than a third of the households (34.5%) were found to be food insecure, while households (65.5%) were found to be food secure. The estimated logistic model outcome on household food security confirmed the size of the family, dependency ratio and total earner affected negatively in 1% probability levels, respectively, while age, sex, marital status, income, asset ownership and credit affect positively. Except asset ownership (5%), all are statistically significant at 1% level. Reduction of meal (1st), borrowing money to purchase food (2nd), and sell of household assets as a third food insecure households, respectively, practices are the main coping methods used by the household. According to the results of the model, approximately ten explanatory variables had a statistically significant relationship with household food security. Food insecure household heads are more familiar with the coping strategy than food secured. Households in the study area were relying on preferred foods to deal with food scarcity and starvation. To transform the undesirable conditions of food security in the study area, people should be aware of existing options to practice agriculture in urban areas if there is a need to lift food insecure households from their current situation. More importantly, livelihood diversification strategies should be announced in the study area. Moreover, the government agents should treat households differently in the process of addressing food security related issues in the study area.